Sandra Macele

Marketing Consulting I Organizational Restructuring I Recruiting and Talent Development in MKT I Marketing Process & Budget Optimisation I Strategies (Creative, Communication, Product, Channel) I Creative Direction I Performance Marketing I Marketing Services (Video Production, Photography, Copywriting etc.)

Markets: EMEA & USA
Verticals coverage: B2B, B2C, B2B2C, G2C

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE: Technology ● Government ● Fashion ● Architecture ● Pharma ● Media ● Banking ● Food Retail ● Other Consumer Goods

P.S.: Not all clients are stated here.

Chief Executive Overthinker

EKWB

Department Reorganization I Led diverse marketing teams (creative, product, communications, digital/e-commerce) 40 people I Strategies for Marketing, Sales, People I Budget Optimization I Crissis Management I Talent Recruitment & Onboarding I Markets: US & EMEA I Verticals coverage: B2C & B2B

Chief Marketing Officer

Transforming creative unit inside marketing | Consultancy on strategic projects I Creative strategies I Mentoring I Markets: US & EMEA I Verticals coverage: B2C

Marketing Consultancy

Doorson

Marketing Services I Marketing Consulting B2B

Creative Director and Consultant

SENSILAB

Performance Marketing I Creative Services I Marketing Consulting

Intra lighting d.o.o.

Creative Marketing Services I Marketing Consultant B2B

Creative Director & Consultant

Erpium / Creative Agency

Marketing Campaigns production and execution.

Creative Director

Ministry of Economy and Technology

Content and Communication for the activities of ministry I Processes organization

Strategic Marketing Consultant

HBO GO

Online marketing support for HBO Adriatic region.

Director and Producer

HS PLUS

Creative Department organization I Performance Strategies I Process Setting I Talent Onboarding I Markets: EMEA I Verticals coverage: B2C

Strategic Consultant

Studio Moderna

Led 20+ member creative department I Drove client results with impactful and engaging content, setting the stage for sustainable growth I Branding & Performance 

Markets: EMEA
Vertical coverage: B2C

Head of video production

Stop Milking Leads. Start Building People. I Community System Fuelled by your data >>> Check featured

YOU
You are choosing to work with people who believe in doing the right thing. You challenge the status quo and expect the same integrity and accountability (you have) from those around you.

ME
I’m a constructive idealist—bold enough to challenge outdated systems, yet grounded in making authenticity, impact, and trust commercially viable. With a background as a creative director, CMO, and consultant, I combine strategic thinking, sharp people instincts, and fearless storytelling to push brands and leaders to be both real and revolutionary.

I’m running 13 people through my new cohort. Meanwhile, I personally ran through all seven stages of an existential crisis.

Had a full 4-day anxiety spiral + impostor syndrome trial version that included:

“I suck. Shut it all down. Become a florist.”

I didn’t need a tranquilizer, but let’s just say the option wasn’t off the table.

Mistake #1:
I called it a Sprint.

Someone later corrected me:
“Sandra… this is an INTENSIVE.”

😃 

Mistake #2:
People were (and still are) REALLY invested.

I completely miscalculated how the structure of the cohort
would directly impact their emotions.

It is beautiful.
And terrifying (weight of responsibility).

Like watching human nature under a microscope.

But here’s the biggest upside:

From inside that meltdown of mine I had ...
I finally see clearly what people struggle with at scale with social media. 

And where any of us can help, and can not help.

So I wrote a mini report.

If you enjoy my content, I also have a newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eVyiJhHA

I study how emotion shapes trust and how trust earns market authority | Identity & Positioning | Brand Strategy

The Game is Psychological 

In my region, we have a term for that forehead vein that pops out when someone is being ridiculous: “žila glupača”. Literally, the stupidity vein.

It activates when:

→ you enter a dumb conversation
→ face someone with zero critical thinking
→ you’re smiling on the outside, screaming inside
→ when you listen to someone who complains for sports

Nothing works.
Everything is hard.
Life is unfair.

…and suddenly you feel the pressure rising in your forehead.

My stupidity vein activates at point #4.

What about yours?

P.S.: In my newsletter, I answer your questions every Sunday: https://lnkd.in/eVyiJhHA

13 points of a reality check

Brian Berkenstock was the first one to go. By the end of his story, I remember glancing at Olga and Humaira — all three of us were right on the edge of the ugly cry in front of everyone (my cohort).

:D

I’m so proud of Brian.

He’s one of the kindest, most grounded, and most deserving people I know.

Deserving of success.

Humble.
Patient.
Good to the core.

(And let’s not forget: elite-level emotional regulation :D)

Always your cheerleader, Brian.

May you keep creating beautiful words —
and shaping the world we all get to live in.

Your offer’s confusing | I make it clear and memorable | This means positioning, branding, and messaging that connects | Cats can be fuzzy, your offer cannot

There's no HOOK for today's post.
Just some...hesitation.

I'm doing something a bit out of the ordinary for me.
Sharing a personal story.
(With the help of Sandra Macele and her Authority cohort!)

I've been trying to walk a delicate line on LinkedIn.

On one side is BUSINESS.
On the other is SOCIAL.

The biz side is a piece of cake.

I have oodles of experience.
A solid offer.
And killer testimonials.

The personal/social side has been a challenge.

I like the social sharing aspect of LinkedIn.
And getting to know people beyond their banners.
But I don't like "trauma dumping." 
Which feels both revealing and artificial at the same time.

I first need some guardrails for myself.
Here's where I landed...

I'll try to share stories to inspire or help us look at things in a new light.

Let me know how I did.

A Life of No Regret

The coolest grandmother on Earth, G. Kofi Annan granny 🥰

Love your story K, everything is so inspiring! Respect!

For many more debates on our calls!

👏

I help health brands 2X clients/patients & grow revenue using a AI-enhanced demand + acquisition system ✪ Fmr @Saatchi, @Ogilvy, @McCann

What if everyone who rejected you was actually... right?

Hear me out.

My granny flew 5,000 miles to tell me I was ruining my life.
My professor compared me to an alcoholic.
My friends said my work wasn't worth $10.

They were all correct.

I spent years trying to conform.
Until my same rejected work sold for 6X more...to strangers.

The rejection was never about me.

This changed how I see every "NO" forever →

Finding Value in Rejection

This lady here 👇 sent me a very nice message Friday evening. 

“Hi, hello hello!
I’ve been nominated to ”Empower Her Woman of the Year”. …”

“… This ”Bad Good Girl” has something very appealing and recognisable in it. Big thanks for that!”…”

(Shortened message)

I am extremely proud of Annika Mohlin 🌱 

Even though I did help her with messaging, the key ingredients are the following:

- she breathes for her “Bad Good Girls”
- she’s a remarkable networker
- she’s approachable
- she’s a talented communicator 
- she has good emotional regulation (this online business requires it)
- she never gave up

The messaging alone can be a huge help, but YOU need to be the person, who is “obsessed with people you serve” first. 

No branding and messaging solutions can give you that. 

Hugs to Sweden and all the Bad Good Girls. I am one too 🤗

I help female leaders lead and succeed without self-compromising • Leave the good girl behind ​>​> lead with boundaries and presence • Nästa grupp i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv startar februari 2026 🔭

”Stort grattis! Du är nominerad till Årets Empower Her kvinna. Vill du acceptera nomineringen?”

Ja men det är väl klart som attan att jag vill!

Någon har tänkt på mig och det jag bidrar med – det betyder SÅ mycket. Känner mig glad, stolt, rörd och överraskad (lite som när man hittar en kantarell ☺️).

För mig handlar mitt arbete om att stärka kvinnor i självledarskap, inifrån och ut. Jag vill att fler ska skaka av sig den ”duktiga flickan” och en gång för alla landa i att det inte är fel eller fult eller själviskt att prioritera sig själv.

Utan tvärtom: det är från den platsen vi kan vara ”våra bästa jag”. Det är där hållbart ledarskap börjar 💛

Så att få en nominering som handlar om mod, styrka och systerskap – W🤩W. Rena superinjektionen för att fortsätta med det jag gör!

Tack Anna-Maria och tack alla som ser, lyfter och stöttar kvinnor. Det är en av byggstenarna till ett mer jämställt och mångfaldigt samhälle. 

PS. Någon som är sugen på att gå på galan ihop den 25 november? 🎉 Hör av dig!

I know for the last week you've seen changes on my feed and some have reached out expressing the "concern" around my changed content (you miss my carousels).

However, I am running my first 2 rounds of cohorts which I want to perfect for the future ... 

... and part of the responsibility I took on myself is to support people who enrolled and trust me to guide them.

For you, it might not mean I lot.

For me, I am proud of these people and work they are sharing, because I know how many insecurities they had to overcome in a very short period of time.

This is Humaira Akhter ☕️

The best way you can support me, is to read her story and transfer that support on her if you feel connection.

Thank you for being on this path with me.

And Humaira - you go girl!

Stop finding a niche. Start naming your thread | Guiding seasoned solopreneurs to uncover & package their Genius Offer Blueprint™, one aligned offer without bro-hustle, fake scarcity, or burnout.

This isn’t a rags-to-riches story.

It’s a “wait… why am I still shape-shifting?” story.

I’ve spent most of my life trying to be excellent at work, at everything.

It’s a story I share to mirror you.

For anyone who’s been excellent but never felt like a genius…
For anyone who’s shape-shifted just to belong…
For anyone who keeps performing for permission, they no longer need…

This is a reminder:
You don’t have to earn what you already are.

Swipe through for a story of unworthiness, awakening, and stop proving.

Maybe you’ll find a little of yours in there, too.

P.S. Deep gratitude to Sandra Macele — mentor, friend, and creative mirror, who pushed me to tell the truth, even when it stung. 🙏🏽

The Ache to Belong

If I would bet my LinkedIn coins on somebody from content creators, I would bet on Ceres. 

Mark my words.

I wouldn’t be surprised if in a year from now she is in 100k of following. 

The work ethics are up the roof.

👏

Money Psychologist + Financial Coach ➜ I help women transform your relationship with money through psychology

We all have a story we inherited—from our families, our cultures, our experiences.

But at some point, we get to decide whether that story still fits us.
Whether it still serves us.
Or whether it deserves a rewrite.

Here is what I've learned: you don’t have to reject what formed you to grow into who you’re meant to be.

Transformation begins the moment you stop asking for permission and start living on your own terms.

This is a story of my own transformation, a story about self-empowerment.

How their mockery became my motivation—by Ceres Chua

Nothing screams authenticity more like three ghostwriters and an engagement pod.

🌿 👀 🌿

Goosebumps Margaret Sap . You hold so much beauty in your mind. 

Always your fan!

❤️💗

Self Leadership Development | Intentional Creativity Coach | Consciousness Curator - Now more than ever, radical responsibility means preserving your mind and opening your heart. What changes if you know yourself better?

Most of you reading this don’t know me. To give an idea: I wasn’t the girl with dolls and tutus, but with knights, castles, and cars.
 
From Hetfield’s lyrics to the Psalms of David, I love both thunder and grace.

And in my quiet corner, writing, reading, painting, making music, I travel within just as I’ve traveled all corners of the world without.

I’m appalled by the world’s silence and the permission collectively given to what should never be allowed. 

We live in a voice activated universe, so I answer the call to speak. 

Not to preach, but to witness.
I have a first small story to share. Just a taste.

Nice meeting you too.

Personal Story #1_Joy

Which reply feels more genuine?

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When someone doesn’t reply, what do you (often) assume first?

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Don’t overthink, first instinct.

When someone doesn’t reply, what do you (often) assume first?

Helping execs in new roles accelerate impact, build credibility fast and avoid costly transition mistakes | xIBM Consulting | xPwC | Certified Executive Coach

You’ve just landed your next big executive role - congratulations!

Now comes the part no one prepares you for: making it successful.

The hard truth is, 40% of executive transitions fail within 18 months.

And the cost is staggering:

2.5x to 30x the executive’s salary in lost productivity, turnover, and disruption.

Career damage for the executive that can take years to recover from.

Maybe it's your first time at the senior leadership table. 
Maybe you've done this before, but this time, the stakes feel higher. 
Different company, industry, department or role.

Either way, you know this first year will define your reputation and your results.

Tell me if this sounds familiar:

You've inherited a team that doesn't fully trust you yet. 
You're navigating company politics, shifting priorities, and sky-high expectations. 
Everyone's watching, but no one's guiding. 
You're smart, experienced, and capable. 
But the pressure to prove yourself is relentless.

This is exactly where I come in.

I help new executives thrive where 40% fail by guiding them through the high-stakes first year.

My coaching is confidential, personalized, and focused on helping you:

✔ Earn trust quickly and secure early credibility
✔ Navigate politics and hidden organizational dynamics
✔ Build and align your leadership team for quick wins
✔ Make high-impact decisions without costly missteps
✔ Lay the foundation for long-term success and legacy

 Why Trust Me?
• 25+ years in Fortune 500 consulting, partnering with senior executives 
• Led $30M+ transformation portfolios and 250+ person practices at IBM 
• Led risk strategy for $100M+ proposals and complex transformations 
• Built and delivered IBM's top global executive coaching programs 
• Certified executive coach with 300+ leaders coached

If you’re ready to accelerate your impact and avoid costly missteps,

let’s make your first year your strongest. 

📩 DM me “Executive Transition” and let’s talk.

Dora Vanourek

"I found a better opportunity."

Translation: I found a leader who values me.

I've coached hundreds through resignations.

The real reason they leave: 
it's rarely what they say at first.

Behind "better opportunity" or "career growth" is something deeper:

They don't feel valued.

Nobody says thank you.

Their ideas get ignored. 
Their skills go unused. 
They've stopped learning.

If you want to keep your best people:

- Truly listen
- Say thank you
- Seek their ideas
- Appreciate them
- Provide flexibility
- Make time for them
- Ask for their opinions
- Share timely feedback
- Ask how they really are
- Involve them in decisions
- Provide growth opportunities
- Communicate with transparency
- Trust them to make the right decisions

You don't need a budget for any of these.

Just intention, and genuinely caring for your people.

Be the leader you wish you had.

♻️ Repost to inspire others
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Changing jobs doesn't mean you're unstable.

It means you're brave enough to admit you want more.

Too often, career moves are seen as betrayals.

But the real betrayal to yourself is staying
somewhere that no longer serves your growth.

5 signs it's time to make your move:

1. Your work has lost its meaning
→ You go through the motions, but the spark is gone

2. You've outgrown your role
→ What once challenged you now feels like autopilot

3. You know you're wasting your potential
→ That nagging voice keeps saying "you're capable of so much more."

4. Sunday night dread has become your reality
→ The anxiety starts earlier each weekend

5. You don't feel seen or valued
→ Another quarter, another "great job" that leads nowhere

Loyalty isn't about staying in one place.
It's about staying true to your potential.

Choose growth over comfort.

You'll never regret betting on yourself.

♻️ Repost to inspire someone
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If you're not growing in your job, you're shrinking.

But shrinking feels like stability.

Like patience.
Commitment.
Paying your dues.

So you start telling yourself:

'The market's tough right now.' 
'I'm lucky to have a job.' 
'Maybe next year will be different.'

And while you're being 'patient':

Someone with half your experience gets promoted.

Someone who started after you becomes your boss.

The job-hopper is making 40% more.

If your company isn't investing in your growth, 
you're not building a career -
you're maintaining theirs.

They get your best years. 
You get a review that says 'meets expectations.'

Growth isn't just about moving up.

It's about expanding your skills.
Taking on challenges that scare you.
Working with people who believe in you.

Ask yourself:

- When did you last learn something that changed how you work?

- Who's invested in your development this quarter?

- What skills are you building for your next role?

If it's tough to answer these, you're not stable.

You're stuck.

And stuck is just shrinking in slow motion.

The riskiest career move isn't leaving too soon.

It's staying too long.

How will you feel next year if nothing changes?

Your growth doesn't need permission.

♻️ Repost to help your network
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The most painful part of growth:

The people closest to you will try to stop it.

And the faster you grow, the more uncomfortable others become.

It's not personal - it's human nature:

- People prefer the version of you they're used to
- Some feel threatened by your progress
- Others try to keep you "safe" in your comfort zone

Here are 5 powerful ways to protect your growth:

1. Audit Your Circle 👥 
↳ Who celebrates your wins vs. who diminishes them?
↳ Distance isn't betrayal, it's boundaries

2. Stop Explaining Yourself 🤐 
↳ You don't owe anyone a justification for growth
↳ Let your results do the talking

3. Track Your Progress 📈
↳ Screenshot encouraging feedback and messages
↳ Celebrate small victories, they compound into big changes

4. Find Your Growth Squad 🔗
↳ Seek people 2-3 steps ahead of you 
↳ Invest in mentors who've walked your path

5. Trust Yourself 💪
↳ Your intuition knows before your mind does
↳ Bet on yourself when no one else will

The people who truly belong in your life will celebrate your growth. 

Don't shrink yourself to make others comfortable.

♻️ Repost to help your network
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Your title doesn't make you a leader.

How you treat your team when no one's watching does.

After 25+ years helping leaders retain talent, 
I've seen the same pattern:

Great employees will tolerate bad systems and broken processes.

But there's one thing they won't forgive:

A manager who stopped caring.

5 ways leaders lose their best people:

❌ Taking people for granted
↳ Not feeling valued is a top reason people disengage and leave

❌ Rewarding high-performers with more work
↳ Watch them burn out and leave for other companies

❌ Tolerating low performance from others
↳ High performers feel like their efforts don't matter

❌ Not matching salaries for loyal employees with those of new hires
↳ This disrespects your loyal employees and damages trust

❌ Ignoring employee feedback
↳ Dismissing insights signals that their voices don't matter

How to keep your best people:

✅ Recognize impact and contributions
↳ Build a habit of consistent, genuine appreciation

✅ Provide growth opportunities
↳ Before hiring externally, see if you can promote from within

✅ Help them connect the dots
↳ Discuss how they can grow and advance to the next level

✅ Ask for their input when making decisions
↳ Listening to their opinions and feedback lets them know they matter

✅ Ensure fair compensation
↳ Regularly review and adjust compensation and benefits

Be the leader you wish you had.

Because loyal employees don't leave companies.

They leave managers who stopped caring.

♻️ Repost to promote healthier workplaces
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Companies obsess over retention.

Then promote the managers driving people out.

They spend millions on recruitment.
Thousands on exit interviews.
Hours in retention meetings.

Yet the same managers who make people leave get promoted, protected, and praised.

Good people don't leave companies.

They leave managers who:

- Never admit mistakes
- Push people to burnout
- Take credit for their work
- Never face consequences
- Create toxic environments
- Play politics and favouritism
- Micromanage every decision

Stop asking why good people leave.

Start asking why bad managers stay.

Look at turnover patterns. 
Hold leaders accountable for culture. 
Promote people skills, not just performance.

Your people deserve better.

Be the leader you wish you had.

♻️ Repost if this hits home
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Fear-driven leadership works fast.

But the damage works faster.

Too many leaders obsess over hitting this quarter's numbers.

Meanwhile, their best people are quietly updating their resumes.

When people are afraid, they choose:

- safety over success
- silence over solutions
- survival over growth

What to avoid as a leader:

❌ Threatening job security
↳ "Many people would love to have your role."

❌ Using subtle threats
↳ "We need to talk about your career here."

❌ Manufacturing fake urgency
↳ "This needs to be done by EOD" (when it doesn't)

❌ Keeping people guessing
↳ Unclear expectations, moving goalposts

❌ Weaponizing performance reviews
↳ Don't treat reviews as threats

What to do as a leader:

✅ Recognize and appreciate often
↳ Ensure your employees feel valued

✅ Invest in their growth
↳ Create clear paths for career advancement

✅ Share the bigger picture
↳ Help them see how their work creates meaningful impact

✅ Give your team ownership
↳ Trust them to make decisions and take risks

✅ Stand behind your team
↳ Protect them from politics and have their backs

Fear might get you compliance today.

But trust gets you people who care.

♻️ Repost to inspire people-first leadership
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I'm turning 50 this week 🎂
Grew up in communist Czechoslovakia
where entrepreneurship was illegal.

Success meant getting a job at a prestigious company.

And staying there until retirement.

So that's what I did.

At 48, I looked at my life and realized:

I'd followed every rule.
Done everything "right."
And I still felt trapped.

So I built my escape route.

One LinkedIn post at a time.

A year later, at 49, I left.

Now I have freedom and flexibility I didn't know was possible.

But when I started writing,
my biggest challenge was coming up with ideas.

Staring at a blank screen every day:

- What do I even talk about?
- Will anyone care?
- How do I stay consistent without burning out?

This is why Stanley (Your Content Coach) matters so much to me.

It's the tool I wish I'd had earlier.

It helps me: 

- Give me honest feedback when I need it
- Flag when my audience is tired of a topic
- Turn one coaching session into 4 different posts

My posts created with Stanley outperform my others by 35-40%.

No matter how stuck you feel.

No matter your age.

No matter what you were taught about "safety" and "success."

You can move forward.

It’s never too late.

If you're building your escape route,
try Stanley for free today: https://lnkd.in/g9nvAJzJ

#stanleypartner

Most resignations start the same way.

With a manager who never notices.

People check out long before they officially leave.

Their disengagement builds slowly - one overlooked issue at a time.

High performers notice everything.

They see who contributes and who coasts.

When you tolerate mediocrity, you're telling your best people their standards don't matter.

They deserve better.

And so do you as a leader.

Great leaders do these 5 things differently:

1. Set the bar clearly
→ Define what success looks like - no guessing
→ Write the rules so no one's confused

2. Address issues early
→ Small problems turn big when ignored
→ Have tough conversations before things escalate

3. Be present, not just available
→ Prioritize 1:1s so people know they matter
→ Truly listen, and catch problems early

4. Do what you say, every time
→ Keep every promise. No exceptions
→ Show visible progress to build trust

5. Celebrate what matters
→ Recognize the behaviours you want more of
→ Skip "good job" - say exactly what worked

What you tolerate becomes your culture.

Make sure it's one your top performers want to stay in.

♻️ Repost to help your network
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People won't remember your job title.

They'll remember how you made them feel.

Because true happiness at work isn't about being employed.

It's about feeling valued.

The best leaders live by this.

They don't just manage tasks.
They empower people to grow.
They appreciate them genuinely.

Be that leader:

- Listen without judgement
- Provide stretch assignments
- Genuinely ask, "How are you?"
- Be kind, even on the tough days
- Open doors to new opportunities
- Acknowledge their unique strengths
- Empower others to explore and learn
- Share feedback that helps others thrive
- Invite input in decisions that impact others
- Show appreciation - it means more than you know
- Believe in someone before they believe in themselves

Leadership isn't just about budgets or targets.

It's about kindness, respect, and leaving people better than when you met them.

Have you had a great leader?
Tag them to thank them ⬇️ 

♻️ Repost to inspire your network
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Leadership isn’t earned with a title.

It’s built when people feel safe.

Safe to speak up.
Safe to fail.
Safe to rest.

Build a culture where taking time off doesn’t come with guilt.

What to do as a leader:

✅ Be a role model for taking time off:
↳ Take time off - and talk about it. Normalize rest

✅ Recognize efforts: 
↳ Acknowledge achievements that promote well-being rather than appreciating health sacrifices

✅ Encourage flexibility: 
↳ Trust your team to deliver in ways that work for them

✅ Prevent post-vacation overload: 
↳ Plan ahead to make returning from time off manageable

✅ Conduct meaningful check-ins: 
↳ Make 1:1s safe spaces to talk about well-being and workload

What to avoid as a leader:

❌ Praising work while sick:
↳ "Thank you for working even though you don't feel well" 
↳ This sends the wrong message about your company's values

❌ Neglecting feedback: 
↳ Ignoring employee feedback about workload and stress

❌ Discouraging time off:
↳ Making employees feel guilty for taking breaks

❌ Setting unrealistic goals: 
↳ Targets that require overwork are unsustainable

❌ Promoting an "Always On" culture: 
↳ Expecting 24/7 availability, even on weekends or vacations

Be the leader you wish you had.

♻️ Repost to promote healthier work cultures
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Image credit: Adam Grant

Most leaders obsess over the wrong things.

They chase better processes.

Refine strategies.

Restructure teams.

And when results don't improve:

They apply pressure.
Tighten timelines.
Use fear as a tactic.

Meanwhile, the people who care the most, stop caring.

The best leaders do the opposite:

✅ Know their names and their stories
↳ "How's your daughter's soccer season?"

✅ Treat everyone with equal respect
↳ The intern's time matters as much as the VP's. Act like it

✅ Follow through on their feedback
↳ Actually listen and act. Or explain why not. Silence kills trust faster than "no"

✅ Share your own mistakes first
↳ "Here's where I messed up" opens doors to honesty

✅ Replace "Who did this?" with "What can we learn?"
↳ One question assigns blame. The other builds resilience

✅ Address toxic behaviour quickly
↳ Every day you wait, good people update their resumes

You don't need another framework.

You need to look up from your spreadsheet and see the humans in front of you.

Before the best ones stop caring completely.

♻️ Repost to inspire people-first leadership
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The healthiest teams argue the most.

Because they trust each other enough to disagree.

Most leaders get this backwards.

They think psychological safety means:

→ No disagreements
→ Everyone is comfortable all the time
→ Keeping things polite

But that's not safety.
That's silence.

Real psychological safety looks different:

- Disagreeing doesn't end careers
- Failed experiments = learning
- "What went wrong?" not "Whose fault is it?"
- Leaders admit mistakes first
- Bad news doesn't get hidden
- People bring their real selves

How to start building it:

1. Model it first
→ Next meeting: admit something you got wrong or don't know

2. Reward the messy truth
→ When someone brings bad news early, thank them

3. Change one question
→ Replace "Who screwed this up?" with "What can we learn from this?"

Conflict isn't the enemy of safety.

Silence is.

What does psychological safety look like on your team?

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McKinsey: 89% of leaders miss critical warning signs

76% learn too late; 34% never learn at all.

Incredible carousel from my friend Malay Matalia 🔥
Check him out for more insights like this.

Harvard found:
- Great leaders catch these signs early
- The average ones learn from exits
- The poor ones never learn at all

11 wake-up calls leaders need to hear today:

1. When bad news stops flowing:
→ You haven't built trust
→ You've built fear

2. When the calendar is full but the impact is minimal:
→ You're managing time
→ Not driving results

3. When you blame the team but claim wins as yours:
→ You're not leading
→ You're just taking credit

4. When you're the smartest in meetings:
→ You're hiring for comfort
→ Not for growth

5. When decisions only flow down:
→ You've created soldiers
→ Not future leaders

6. When resumes are getting updated:
→ Your open-door policy
→ Was just empty words

7. When challenges stop coming:
→ Your team has already given up
→ You don't listen anyway

8. When celebrations are louder without you:
→ You're limiting your team
→ Not the catalyst

9. When you speak more than listen:
→ You're leading by power
→ Not valuing your team's insights

10. When no one outgrows their role:
→ You're creating ceilings
→ Not empowering your team

11. When being right matters most:
→ You've stopped leading
→ You've stopped growing

Remember:
Listen to what your team is saying.
And what they aren't saying.
Their silence speaks volumes.

What other wake-up calls would you add?

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11 Wake-Up Calls All Leaders Need to Hear

If you're not willing to fight for your team,
you don't belong in management.

I'll never forget watching my manager 
in a senior leadership meeting:

"You're asking my team to do 3 top priorities. 
Pick one.
Or give me more people."

The room went silent.

Then they picked one.

That's when I learned:

Real leaders don't just manage work - they protect people.

10 ways great leaders protect their teams:

1. Block Burnout Triggers
↳ Kill the root causes before exhaustion turns into resignation letters

2. Stop the Fake Urgencies
↳ Everything can't be urgent. Push back on manufactured crises

3. Eliminate Useless Work
↳ Cut low-value tasks such as creating reports that nobody reads

4. Push Back on Deadlines
↳ Negotiate realistic timelines. Say no to deadlines that require overtime

5. Require Priority Trade-offs
↳ Ask stakeholders to remove something else before adding new work

6. Cut Through Bureaucracy
↳ Push back on unnecessary approvals and processes that slow down your team

7. Protect Deep Work
↳ Create distraction-free times and keep "quick requests" from destroying focus time

8. Defend Their Reputation
↳ CC their wins to skip-levels. Stand up for them when they're not in the room

9. Shield from Office Politics
↳ Handle the organizational drama so your team can focus on real work

10. Limit Meeting Madness
↳ Prevent endless meetings that destroy productivity and focus

Your team doesn't need another manager.

They need a leader who truly has their back.

Be that leader.

PS: What's one thing you wish more leaders did for their teams?

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75% of people fear public speaking more than death.

Yet it's the no. 1 skill that accelerates careers.

Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, held me back for years.

I avoided roles where I'd need to speak a lot. 

Declined podcast invitations.

Fear was costing me too much.

Then I found Ultraspeaking

Here are the 8 techniques that transformed how I speak:

📌 Save these for later.

1. The Accordion Method 
→ Compress your talk to 60s, then 30s, then 15s 
→ Expand back, keeping only what matters 
→ Forces you to find your actual point

2. The Bow & Arrow 
→ Your Arrow = the ONE thing to remember 
→ Your Bow = supporting evidence

3. The Power Pause 
→ Stop for 3-5 seconds after key points 
→ Gives your audience time to absorb 
→ Silence is powerful, not awkward

4. The 2-3 Word Bookmark 
→ Create 2-3 word triggers, don't memorize scripts 
→ "Customer save" → your problem-solving story

5. Never Break Character 
→ Don't apologize for nervousness or mistakes
→ Your anxiety is invisible until you reveal it 

6. The Pushback Pivot 
→ Pause and acknowledge: "That's an important point" 
→ Reframe: "Here's how I see it..." 
→ Use challenges to strengthen your message

7. Use Clarity Prompts when Stuck
→ "The most important thing is..."
→ "If you remember one thing..."

8. The Opening Rule 
→ Rehearse your opening 3x more than the rest 
→ Early confidence will carry you through

These 8 techniques are just the beginning.

Ultraspeaking is different: 
live practice, speaking games, and real-time feedback from world-class coaches.

If communication is holding you back, 
join this FREE executive workshop (only 9 spots):
https://lnkd.in/gVibVu3G

#Ultraspeaking

Being smart isn't always an advantage.

It'll keep you stuck if you fall into these traps.

You work twice as hard.

You know you're capable of more.

But others still seem to get ahead.

It's not a lack of talent.

It's these traps holding you back:

1. The Overthinking Trap 🌀
↳ You spend months researching instead of taking action
↳ Avoid analysis paralysis with the 24-hour decision rule

2. The Comfort Zone Trap 🏝️
↳ Being the top performer in a small pond limits your growth
↳ Commit to one project that scares you every quarter

3. The Knowledge Hoarding Trap 📚
↳ Your bookshelf grows while your results stay the same
↳ Match every hour of learning with action

4. The Solo Player Trap 🧑‍🚀
↳ You avoid asking for help, seeing it as a weakness
↳ Find mentors who've already achieved what you want

5. The Intelligent Excuses Trap 🦊
↳ You use smart logic to justify staying average
↳ The real danger isn't failing - it's staying the same

6. The Multi-Potential Trap 🎭
↳ You have many talents but never commit to any
↳ Choose 1 focus for 90 days and say no to everything else

7. The Perfectionism Trap 🎯
↳ Your high standards become an excuse to never start
↳ Lower the bar and avoid endless revisions

Don't let these patterns keep you stuck.

You already have what it takes.

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